SketchUp Pro 2023 Review: Has Trimble Diluted SketchUp?

In this video, I review SketchUp Pro 2023 from my perspective, that of a residential designer who uses SketchUp Pro for every phase of the design process, even construction documents. Unfortunately the new tools, features, and products don't actually improve my efficiency or bottom line. I'm frustrated that Trimble is diluting SketchUp with peripheral products that should be plugins. While sometimes impressive in their own ways, these new features and products aren't useful to the core customer base of architects and interior designers. I wish they would turn their focus back to the core offering, SketchUp and LayOut for desktop. Easy 3d models linked to beautiful 2d drawings... That's the problem to solve!

00:24 What's my Beef?
00:44 Flip Tool
01:40 Overlays
02:28 SketchUp for Ipad
04:19 Live Components
06:58 Medeek Engineering Extension
07:28 My Honest Opinion

[BrentNyquist]

Well said Mike. I too would consider myself a core user and am increasingly frustrated that Trimble continues to put time and energy into developing tasks that bring no added benifit to me nor my ability to make a living using their product. It seams clear that those in charge of developing new features for Sketchup are not actually using the software in a real world scenerio nor are they actively taking imput from their users into account when looking to add or improve features.

[bellousow]

As always you are absolutely right . I think they should focus more on LayOut and the style I mean add a kind of ambiant occlusion to the style panel . .. better performance in LayOut…

[tiagorasantos]

Couldn't agree more. Layout is a tool that still needs tons, i mean, tons of improvements and Trimble seems to have given it up. If Layout were a better app, I could even consider completely abandon AutoCAD or Archicad and focus on Sketchup. I feel like Trimble is missing a huge market not improving layout capabilities. And I fell this pain is shared by a lot of colleagues. Everyone who decides to give Layout a try gets super frustrated, because it is simply a not professional enough tool IMO.

[mediadevices]

Well said, I work in an architectural firm. "stop chasing squirrels and instead focus on the core offering. SketchUp and layout for desktop easy 3D models linked to beautiful 2D drawings that's the problem to solve be the best at that!"

[ShomitSarkar]

U r absolutely 💯 % right on this roast.
I have not yet upgraded my SketchUp from 2021, let alone the shivers to move on to 2023, mainly for the reason as I am at risk of getting stuck midway due to some vital plugin not being yet compatible with the new SU. The Sketchup team has been pure stingy in rolling out features and I really find the new mirror tool of being more gimmicky than being an actual upgraded feature.
Had it been for plug devs like tomthom, fredo, tig, eneroth, and many more legends not existing, then SketchUp would have ended several years ago already.
Very true that I would have loved to see SU and layout becoming one seamless package to get models and drawings in the same space rather than hopping between 2 separate apps and updating the model at every hop.

[scottkinsey]

I'm a residential and commercial architectural designer. I'm also a condoc user and an excusive dayly sketchup user for 20 years. I agree with all your points here. All of sketchup's biggest problems have always been present and still are. If they are unwilling to fix the fundamental problems, then it only gets worse the more features are added. Frustrating!

[mearkitek]

I’m a retired architect & educator and I couldn’t agree more. Now all of SketchUp’s tutorials are for iPad! Do you have any suggestions for getting SketchUp Warehouse models for 2019 version?!? BTW you do incredible work.

[jasonjarvis]

Great review, I was going to upgrade from 2022 but maybe not now. Condoc and Medeek is where it's at. I've been having some success generating plans, still a lot to learn but enjoying learning as I go. Thanks Michael for all you're doing for us residential designers.

[larrymortimer]

I'm one of the architects you talked about that uses Sketchup for modeling, but relies on another program (Vectorworks) to produce 2D output. I've tried to use Layout, but it just doesn't do it for me. You make some very good points, and I agree with everything you said. Trimble needs to hire you to help clean this program up.

[JAWSnAZ]

Great video as always. You are deffinately one of the OG Professional Pioneers. I wish Trimble would build a team of you guys to help map out a solid Arch Design direction for the development of SKetchUp and Layout. I want to see you, Nick Sonder, Jon Brock, Medeek, and a few others that are actual using SU and LO in their daily Arch/Design profession to get permitted construction projects.

[EverydayDesigner]

As a designer I haven't used SketchUp in long long time . Mostly for plans and permits we use Revit 24/7 . We do have SketchUp in initial concept stages

[hjohn]

You missed one... SU2023 can import Revit models directly, with supposedly clean and tagged components and layers. One caveat... this feature is only available in the Studio version. How does that help us "one man/woman" offices? Ugh. I wonder what the demographic is of sole proprietor vs multi user studios that use SU? I agree that LayOut needs some attention. It has taken me years to develop my templates for LO to create my CD's. I imagine it is a huge turnoff for new users. Always appreciative of your wisdom in the SU community!

[PaulineFerguson]

I agree completely that more could be done with Layout. One of the things I love about dimensioning (and modelling) in Revit is that you can turn off the line weights and get the lines or dims in *exactly* the right spot. Also, if there are multiple things to click on in the one location, you can tab through until you get to the one you want to use. If we had something like that in Layout, that would be awesome. I dunno, maybe there actually is, and I haven't found it. But there is so much functionality in Layout which is made simple, that it could definitely be a useful option.
I don't mind Pre-design for trialling window coverings and working out shading options... but it is a "pretties" option (again, if that could link to Layout, it could be useful to show clients why you're modelling how you have). Actual shade studies are more useful, and integral already in SKP.

[ChrisStewart]

Nice to see a well thought out critical review. Thanks
I had hoped when Trimble acquired sketchup that they would take it to the next level for architecture but they failed to get there.
They had a promising start with dynamic components but failed to develop them
Layout was a mistake from the start. A project should never be divided between 2d and 3d
Better Rendering should have been developed within Sketchup

Yes the ability for third party apps does make Su highly configurable, but it also makes the entire workflow a hodgepodge. This makes it fairly complicated for individuals to start.
While I think it is a very good program for creating individual components. I just could not get any confidence to switch my entire design workflow to Sketchup.

I have created DCs and other content for 3dwarehouse that have been downloaded 15, 000+ times but got shut out of creating anymore because I did not want to pay to upgrade and besides they basically stopped work on DC's

[danimordecai]

Regarding Layout - imho - If there are 'special" settings that make it faster - then trimble should be packaging those as default settings. It's fab when I get it working - But I've been working on an interior now for 8 hours 😞 kinda over it

[windycitycat]

Always have apprecaited your message and delivery, Mike. Yet again: great video, editing and especially CONTENT! <Elephant trumpeting sound clip🐘>. Trimble needs to know more and more from folks like you and me that SketchUp and LayOut HAVE to be made to work better, smoother and faster...TOGETHER! <Come Together sound clip🎵> I am only upgrading to 2023 Studio versions due to the necessity of working with consultants and their Revit files. Other than that, I am still waiting on some massive jumps on improvement and interoperability of SketchUp and LayOut. Open that API, Trimble! <Alarm sound clip> :)⏰

[andbax]

Great review, everything you say is spot on. Timble are TTP by offering these changes as a valid update to support a subscription. You completely on point about Layout, when will Trimble allow dimensions to be created in 3D as you can do in sketchup . Honestly if there was a credible alternative to Sketchup I would dump Trimble, all they are interested in is profit, Trimble do not care about their user base, their latest example of this is locking users who invested in perpetual licences , out of the 3D warehouse. 3D warehouse is populated by users for users, not for Trimble to make more money.

[simonevans]

As a fellow building designer and long time Sketchup fan, I couldn't agree more. Trimble should know what customer base to focus on, should be very aware or the shortcomings of Layout (so crucial to what we do), and should realize where to focus attention. Maybe they are the wrong owners!

[mamdouhbarakat]

Just use rhino, coming from an architecture student whose whole take on modeling and computational design was vastly broadened and my practice in school got even better because of how rhino is much more powerful, anyone that truly want to elevate themselves in 3d, PLEASE SWITCH TO RHINO. (Was an ex sketchup user)

[jmccoy]

Spot on Michael! I have the Madeek tool sets and wish that Trimble would focus more on improving LayOut. Great Video.